Into the Fantasia
by FantaisieNocturne
Summary: On a routine patrol mission, the Atlasia of the TSAB Navy discovers a small frequently encountered dimensional flux is not all it seems. Section Three is reunited once again to investigate - but what will they find in the Fantasia?
1. Prologue: The Atlasia's Discovery

"Admiral, we've detected a minor dimensional anomaly in your vicinity. Code 36."

That had been the message. Short and to-the-point – just as any military organization should function.

Commander Rodriguez D'Alsa stirred in his seat.

The _Atlasia _Gryphon-class cruiser was but one of seven thousand scattered throughout dimensional space – a gear in the machine of the Time-Space Administration Bureau.

"Affirmative, _Tower of Babel._ Request coordinates and estimated tee-oh-tee."

"Roger, _Atlasia._ Relaying positional data. Estimated travel distance: 50,000 light years."

Rodriguez sighed. Probably another false alarm – it was most likely another planet's attempts to reach interstellar travel, something they would inevitably fail at. Success rates for such were less than one in half a million. The _Tower of Babel_'s longwave dimensional scanner was no doubt a powerful piece of equipment and the pride of the Navy, but it also facilitated the Navy's paranoia with regards to small dimensional anomalies.

Within 10 minutes, the Atlasia had arrived at the anomaly's approximate position in dimensional flux. The ship's Special Operations team had already gathered in the transfer room, and were awaiting deployment. Rodriguez called them up on a side screen.

"All right, team, you know the drill. Drop, check status, ascertain cause, and bug out."

"Yes sir!"

"Stay frosty. We don't want any unwarranted attention."

"Aye-aye, cap'n."

Rodriguez chuckled slightly. Captain – it was an old joke the team had. He watched as they disappeared off the screen, the magic portals sending them instantly through to the designated dimension.

"We're in sir. But – something's weird."

The brief grin vanished off Rodriguez's face. He leaned in closer to the console.

"Speak, Mendoza."

"The magic potential in this place is flowing off the charts – it's practically saturating the air – but there isn't any evidence of advanced civilization as such a magical concentration should indicate. I haven't seen this much magic in one place since… forever."

That… wasn't right. Magic potential came with the technology. Rodriguez realized that his chest was tight, and his hands were gripped tightly to the instrument console that took up most of his workspace.

This was… fear?

"Wait, I see someone down there. Jensen, make a quick sweep please."

The whole place was bad news. He could feel it, chilling him down to his bones – an unseen monster, lurking in the shadows of the world in which his subordinates were wandering, a vast and heavy presence that threatened to wipe out their very existence.

"Sir! MPI readings are huge! Eight hundred thousand – nine hun – no, one million and climbing!"

"Target is approaching us! Unaided magical flight! Estimated mage class: A+!"

Rodriguez heard the radio crackle and sputter with panic. His right hand moved, shaking, to the red panic button in the centre of his instrumentation panel.

Mendoza's voice buzzed over the communications array. "Jensen, Marco, stand back! To unidentified aerial unit, we demand you to stand down! Any further approach will be considered a breach of federal TSAB law and will be handled with extreme prejudice!"

"Oh, is that so~?"

Rodriguez tore his earpiece off and slammed his hand on the panic button, sending a top-priority pre-recorded message requesting a direct audience with the Fleet Admiral back to headquarters. He fell into his seat, hands limp and pale from exertion. Guttural cries rang out through the earset, echoing softly through the Commander's station.

This was no false alarm. This was the real thing.

The old wives' tale, told to children aspiring to the rank and file of the TSAB Navy, the tale of the ancient, legendary dimensions where the TSAB had no power –

– he had found a Fantasia.


	2. The Briefing

**Disclaimer: **Magical Lyrical Girl Nanoha and Touhou Project are the copyright of their respective owners. Some aspects of the Nanoha universe are, however, fabricated, and may not truly represent their actual counterparts.

* * *

_Tsss._

The doors slid open with a slight hiss.

The clip, clip sound of heels on metal echoed through the metal corridor, following its origin all the way to the conference room of the _Frontier._

"Good evening, Admiral Harlaown."

Chrono turned.

"It's nice to see you again, Fate."

Fate turned to one of the chairs and took a seat, swiveling to face Chrono.

"I heard that Section Three's coming together again." She ventured.

"Well, wherever that's coming from, it's correct – but only for this mission as of yet. We'll have to wait for the rest first before revealing any details, though. Speaking of which, where is Teana? I was told she arrived at the same time you did."

"She's in the main transfer hall, waiting for the rest. I do hope it won't take too long, Teana's never been a very patient person."

"No worries! We're here!"

The door slid open again, and a small crowd of people strode in. The lady right in front snapped to attention and saluted.

"Good evening, sir! Captain Yagami Hayate and crew reporting, sir!"

Chrono returned the gesture, laughing slightly.

"Evening, Captain. Looking snappy as always." He turned to the others and saluted again. "Signum, Shamal, Zafira, Vita, Rein – good to have you back. Agito – nice to meet you."

Agito snapped a tiny salute. "It's a pleasure, sir."

From behind, Teana gave a crisp salute, and made a beeline for the seat next to Fate.

"The other four?" Hayate asked, taking her seat.

"Nanoha's finishing up a training session first. Caro and Erio had to apply for exit permits, and Subaru said she'll be down soon," Fate replied.

"Well, we'll start first then." Chrono headed back to his position at the head of the table. "Anything the others miss, you can tell them later." He reached a hand out, and touched a button in his holographic console. An image sputtered to life, fizzing slightly into the shape of a Gryphon-class cruiser over the meeting table.

"Recently, the Atlasia was investigating this particular dimension, in the same dimensional coordinates we are in now. The captain of the ship, Commander Rodriguez, sent in a top-priority emergency relay notifying us of the anomalistic properties of this dimension."

He pressed another button. The profiles of several men came up on the screen.

"These men were sent in as part of routine patrol procedure. Apparently, they were attacked by a hostile party. The five men, all able-bodied and highly-ranked mages, lasted a total of seven seconds against this threat before transmission was completely lost."

A collective murmur ran through the room. The door slid open, and the last four moved in quietly, taking their seats.

"Some specifications of the area were obtained, but because they were on routine patrol and traveling light, no video feed is available."

The dimension specifics rolled across the screen – land makeup, terrain, habitation, altitude, technology level. The details were synonymous with those of other less advanced dimensions, like the well-documented Terra-404, which was an established natural reserve for endangered animals originating from collapsed dimensions. It was all very normal.

"This, here, is what caught our attention."

Instantly, a gasp went across the table. The MPI value of the dimension was well in excess of 150 million. Hayate leapt to her feet. "But Terra-404 only has an MPI of two thousand! How could this-"

"That's why it caught our attention." Chrono motioned for Hayate to take her chair. She glanced around at the rest, slowly lowering herself. "What the Council believes we have here is -"

"- a Fantasia." Nanoha finished. Chrono nodded.

"A Fantasia. In other words, an actively magical dimension. I assume you are all familiar with the phrase, 'sufficiently advanced technology is just like magic'? This lies outside that realm of possibility. True Magic, magic that cannot possibly be created in any form by technology, is what we appear to be dealing with here."

Signum raised a hand. "But was that not determined to be impossible? True magic was said to be going against the very grain of the Multiverse. Such a thing could never exist."

"Well, it's here now. And this is what we're investigating." Chrono pulled up a list, indicating the tasks they were to embark on in the mission.

"First, determine the hostility level and capabilities of the inhabitants in the dimension. Since you are all first-class mages, I am sure you will find no problem with this.

"Secondly, scan the system for any presence of Lost Logia. This Fantasia-like effect could well stem from a Lost Logia in that dimension.

"Thirdly, if Lost Logia are present, extricate them by any means possible and rendezvous at this coordinate, the entry and extrication point."

A series of numbers scrolled slowly across the screen. The approximate location was somewhere over a small terrain rise.

"In the case that we somehow get separated on entry, make the rendezvous your top priority. Is that clear to all?"

The table rose and snapped to attention. "Yes, sir!"

"Then let us proceed. Fate, please lead the way to the dimensional transfer room. We are to scramble in full combat gear. Barrier jackets on, everyone."

"This way please."

* * *

The dimensional transfer room buzzed and hummed, the technicolour splendour of different dimensions clashing together parading itself on the walls. Chrono, barrier jacket already on, reached across to the console and pushed the intercom button.

"Frost-1 to Bridge, Stars team, Frost team and Lightning team are in position. Initiate transfer sequence."

"Roger, Frost-1, sir. Capacitors at 50% charge. Dimensional transfer in T-minus 20 seconds."

The whirring, buzzing sound steadily grew louder, the capacitors winding up as they prepared the magical burst necessary for propelling the thirteen to their destination. The colours started to grow in intensity.

"T-minus 10 seconds."

"Sir, something doesn't look right."

"Eh?"

"Nine."

"Sir! The transfer pathway is warping!"

"What?!"

"Eight."

Chrono jabbed at the "Terminate" button, but the capacitors had already spun up to power. The button no longer worked: the failsafe had kicked in to ensure the ship did not blow up from the excessive magical energy involved in transfers.

"External pressure is caving the transfer zone! It's the saturation in the Fantasia!"

"Seven."

"Try to rationalize it! See if you can even out the pressure balance in the pipe!"

"Six. Five."

"Can't, sir! It's snaking! I can't catch it!"

"Four."

"Everyone! Grab hold of each other!" Chrono shouted, reaching out for someone's hand, anyone. Around him, the others did the same. The room was now glaringly bright, a phantasmagoria of colours blooming around him, making it almost impossible to see.

"Three. Two."

His hands found those of Caro and Teana. A long chain of people was forming, a ring of tightly clenched fists.

"One."

"Close your eyes, people! Or the transfer will blind you!"

"Zero."

_Whoosh._

A brief moment of calm. Then,

Chaos.

The ring was lashed at like a dinghy at sea. His eyes tightly shut, Chrono squeezed tightly on the hands he was grasping, their warmth in his own willing him to resist the urge to let his arms rest.

With a groan like a dying whale, their surroundings lurched and spun, throwing them around with disdain. The strain grew and grew, the groan increasing in pitch and volume, until it was a scream in their ears.

He could not hold on. With a final tug, they flew out of his grasp. Chrono could hear nothing over the intense screaming that washed over them. He braced himself for impact. Then…

…darkness.


	3. Meetings and Chance Encounters

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I'm afraid not all the cast is going to get a POV, however. It's rather hard to follow a dozen different plotlines at the same time, after all. I hope you enjoy this chapter - it took me ages to write. :)

Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha and Touhou Project are copyright of their respective owners.

* * *

Dawn was breaking when Fate awoke.

_Where am I?_

As she gently sat herself up, she remembered the events that had transpired to land her unconscious – the problems with the transfer, the eventual splitting of the group.

Chrono had given instructions on what to do in the event anything went wrong – ah, yes, rendezvous at that specific point somewhere over a hilly plateau.

_I should figure out where I am first, though._

At this point, she noticed that she was sitting at the foot of a very long flight of stairs. Looking up, she could just make out the shape of a torii in the rising sun – a shrine gate.

_Exactly like the ones in Nanoha's world. Perhaps they are connected in some way?_

Musing over this thought, she flew up the stairs with the aid of Bardiche, shooting through the torii into an open shrine courtyard –

" – Ah, Marisa. You look ridiculous in that outfit. Did you find it at Kourindou or something?"

Startled, Fate looked up to see a lady sitting morosely on the porch, half obscured by shadow. Her clothes were strangely archaic, just like…

…a shrine maiden. _But it seems slightly different._

"Is that a new broom you're holding? Seriously, Marisa, have a bit more taste in the things you get."

The red-white outfit fluttered slightly in the wind as the shrine maiden leapt lightly off the porch and started toward her. As she came into the light, Fate could not help but notice that the girl was no older than seventeen; in her youth, her skin glowed with health, and her beautiful ebony hair –

"Fantasy Seal: Concentrate!"

The relative silence was shattered as Fate suddenly found herself accosted by large, brightly-coloured orbs.

_A mage? But without a staff…! How…?!_

"_**Sonic Move."**_

Instantly, Fate had dashed, the orbs missing her by several inches as she made her sidelong escape. Turning, she pointed Bardiche at the girl –

BLAM.

The orbs slammed into her back with dull thuds, over and over again. The force of the impact threw Fate forward, slamming her into the ground. Even with the Barrier Jacket taking most of the damage, Fate knew her back was still going to ache for a couple of days.

"Eh? You're not Marisa."

Surprised, Fate raised her head – there, bent over her, was the red-white shrine maiden.

"Sorry 'bout that, couldn't tell you guys apart with the sun behind you like that." With a slight remark, she reached into her sleeves, and pulled out a small deck of cards. "So, how many spells? Three? Five? Physical contact, yes or no? Timeout or KO?"

Fate was completely lost. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh, you don't know the spellcard rules? New _youkai_, eh? That's weird, new _youkai_ aren't usually this strong."

"No, I'm not _youkai_, I'm human."

"Ah, a human mage, I s- wait! You're a human mage and you don't know the rules?! Have you been living underground or something?"

"Actually, I'm not from around here…"

"Oh, an outsider. That's alright then. Though you're the first I know who's a mage." She offered a hand to Fate, which Fate gladly accepted.

"My name's Reimu. Hakurei Reimu, resident shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine."

"I'm Fate. Fate T. Hallaown," Fate said, standing up. Then, she caught a proper glimpse of the land she had landed in.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

The forest stretched out for miles with no end in sight. A small river meandered, coursing through the land to its eventual source up one of the mountains that dotted the length of the horizon. An endless sea of lush green, and an amazing sapphire sky, punctuated with but a few puffs of cotton floating over the land. It was almost like…

"…Paradise," Fate whispered.

"Glad you think so too," Reimu remarked, smiling slightly.

"What is this place, anyway?" Fate asked, turning back to the shrine maiden.

Reimu put a finger to her lip thoughtfully, then said,

"Many people've called it differently. The Lost World, The Hidden Paradise, Shangri-La, Avalon…"

She turned and smiled at Fate. A small breeze blew, catching her dark hair in the wind, swirling it around her like a Chinese calligraphy brush on paper.

"…but I guess you could call it Gensokyo."

* * *

"Shamal, Vita, Zafira. Report status."

"Shamal to Signum, no problems on my side. Heading to the rendezvous point."

"Zafira to Signum, I've established contact with Stars-3. Heading to the rendezvous point."

She waited for a reply from Vita, but all that came back was white noise.

"She'll be fine. It's Vita, after all. If she can't handle herself, I don't know anyone else who can." Shamal.

"I guess you're right."

She turned off the radio. She and the other Wolkenritter shared an innate connection that allowed them to communicate telepathically over time and space; the others, not so. Here, it appeared that the radio signal was jammed for some reason – no calls could get through.

"Once I determine my location and bearing I'll head to the rendezvous. Signum, out."

"You said that because you really don't know where you are, right?" her shoulder said.

"It's not like you'd be any better, Agito."

"Why, you ~!"

"Not now. Determining our location takes top priority."

Which was proving to be a problem. Everywhere she looked, cherry trees were in full bloom. With that much bright pink floating around and obscuring her vision she had no sense of direction at all.

"…and the automated tracking system doesn't seem to be working here…" she mused.

_Up, then. Maybe I can get a better view._

Laevatein in hand, Signum kicked herself off, coming to a hover several dozen metres off the ground.

Nothing but the weirdly ethereal _sakura _as far as she could see.

_What is this place, really…?_

Such a multitude of cherry trees, and not a living soul in sight. The melancholic loneliness was overwhelming. It was as if no living being had ever set foot in the vast expanse of _sakura._

"Halt! Who goes there?!"

The voice came like a bolt from the blue, ringing out clearly in the silence. The voice of a young girl.

"Signum, four o' clock!"

And not a second too late. As she brought Laevatein to bear, it made contact with a blade aimed squarely at her heart.

The recoil was tremendous.

Her arms, temporarily numbed from the shock, pressed painfully into her chest. She felt herself fly back almost seventy feet.

"Signum! You okay?"

"Yes, I am fine. Such an attack will not harm me." _Such power from a single stroke!_

"This realm does not welcome beings of the flesh. Leave now by whence you came, or perish by my sword."

The girl could have aged no more than fifteen, but her eyes shone with dangerous wisdom. _And the ease with which she handled that blade…_

"So you say, but you look equally substantial to me." Signum's reply was curt.

"I am half-spirit. That allows me to exist, unchallenged, in both the land of the living and the dead. The same does not go for you."

"Is that to say that this is the Netherworld, then?"

The girl was surprised. "Yes, indeed so. This itself is Hakugyokurou, the shrine garden of the Netherworld. That is why you cannot be here. It is an affront to the shrine's existence for the sole use of the dead." She lowered her blade, turning an inquisitive eye toward Signum. "Am I right then, in saying that you came across here by chance and you had no intention of being here? Will you then leave quietly?"

Signum sighed slightly. Then she raised her blade, Laevatein's tip quavering with power, straight at the girl in front of her.

"My name is Signum, Knight of the Sword, leader of the Wolkenritter, Guardian of the Book of Darkness. My blade is Laevatein. I apologise, for though I did indeed arrive here by chance, I will not back down from a fight when I see one."

The girl paused slightly, then raised her own sword, and pulled another shorter blade from her back.

"My name is Konpaku Youmu, Gardener and Protector to Her Majesty Saigyouji Yuyuko, Princess of the Netherworld. My blades are Hakurouken and Ryoukanken, forged by youkai in the ancient times of the world."

Sheathing the short sword again, she pulled out a deck of cards and let them slip from her grasp. Caught in the wind, they fluttered, cascading to the ground below.

"Non-spellcard battle. Duel to victory. Full physical contact. No time limit. Will you accept these terms?"

Signum smiled.

"I accept."

* * *

"…"

"…these days…"

"You never know … thinking…"

"Why do the young people these days always wear such short skirts?"

Hayate's eyes snapped open. The chattering in the background suddenly grew silent.

The world was on its side. She could just make out a window behind a couple of legs, planted sideways onto the ground.

She stared blankly as an ant crawled purposefully along the ground half an inch away from her nose.

_Ooh. An ant._

Then the pieces of her memory fell in place.

In an instant, she was on her feet, Schwertkreuz gripped tightly in her right hand, its tip plunged solidly into the ground.

"Hayate! You're finally awake!"

Ah, so Rein was with her.

"Hayate, these people have been around us ever since we landed! And all they've been talking about is your skirt!"

"…What? Are you absolutely certain that all they've been talking about is my choice of garments? And nothing about how I just fell out of the sky and landed here?"

"…Well, there was a bit of that at the start, but it's mostly been about your skirt. They're perverts, Hayate! All of them! Even the women!"

"Erm, lady, we can hear you quite clearly from over here." One of the men in the crowd remarked.

"That aside, what kind of outfit is that?" An old, washerwoman-like lady remarked from the back. "Even for one of those modernist, new age style clothes that teenagers these days like to wear, it's just too much! That skirt doesn't even cover your knee!"

At this point, a general roar of approval went around.

"See, Hayate? They keep talking about your skirt!"

"And carrying a fairy like that, what are you, a _youkai_? _Youkai_ aren't welcome in this part of the village! Take your flashy clothing and get out!"

A roar of approval went around again. The others started to clamour, closing in around Hayate in a mob of righteous indignation.

"What do we do now, Hayate? They're going to kill us!"

"I'm not too sure myself, Rein. I guess all we can do is fly out?"

Just as Hayate was considering this option, a clear voice rang out across the village.

"Wait!"

The townsfolk fell silent. Slowly, the crowd started to part at one point. Hayate caught a slight glimpse of a hat, shaped like an ancient pagoda, making its way toward her. Then its owner stood before her.

A beautiful, tall lady, easily more than a head taller than the women around her, regarded her with deep hazel eyes. A hat every bit as extravagant as her beauty sat atop her head, like the towering steeple of a cathedral. Her clothes were, coincidentally, rather extravagant as well, but nothing compared to the one thing that caught Hayate's attention.

The pure silver hair that shone in the sunlight, like scattered reflections on a pool of water. A few strands fluttered in the breeze, but otherwise it remained calm, translucent, the light from the sun irradiating her face in a glow softened through the screen of hair.

The lady extended a hand to her.

"Keine Kamishirasawa. I take it you're an outsider to this village? I don't sense any _youkai _vibes off you."

Hayate took her hand. "Yagami Hayate, and this here is my partner, Rein. Yes, I'm not from around these parts – I'm from outside of this whole place, actually. Wherever it is."

"Oh, you're from outside the Border? Strange, outsiders never usually manage to fall this far in. I'll have to bring you to Reimu tomorrow, then. I'll let you stay at my place for the night."

As she said that, she did a one-eighty and walked away.

"If you would please follow me, Ms Yagami."

Hayate, sensing the authoritative voice of the lady, quickened her pace forward, and fell into step just behind her.

They walked on in silence for several seconds, until they turned a corner into an alleyway. At this point, Keine suddenly stopped.

Hayate, startled by the sudden halt, stumbled slightly..

"What's the matter, Ms Kamishirasawa?"

Keine turned slowly to look at her.

Then she laughed.

It was Rein's turn to be startled this time. "Wha- Why are you laughing at Hayate? What did she do?"

Keine waved a hand, face still buried in her arm, trying to stifle her laughter. "Ah… no, it's nothing. It's nothing to do with Hayate. I'm laughing at myself."

"Eh?"

"You don't have to take such a serious attitude. Just now was just a show of force to get the villagers to comply. That's the face I normally show to the others. I have to uphold an image, you know? If I were to be friendly with everyone the first minute we met, as I no doubt want to be, the village people would think I'm a _youkai _supporter or something." Keine pressed a hand against the wall, supporting the weight of her body. She was still shaking slightly from laughter.

"Just call me Keine. I'm not too fond of being called by my surname, you know? It's kind of long and bothersome sometimes, I understand."

She stood up straight again, then turned to face Hayate. This time, she had a wide smile on her face. Once again, she offered her hand.

"Name's Keine. Nice to meet you. I do hope we'll get along together in the short time you'll be in my care."

Hayate grinned and took her hand, shaking it vigorously.

"You can call me Hayate. I think we'll get along just fine."

* * *

"Fate? Hayate? Chrono? Anyone?"

Nanoha tried calling out, feeling her way around in the darkness. It appeared to be a forest of some sort – well, as much of it as she could feel, anyway. Her radio had shorted out a while back; the humidity in the forest had worked its way inside the earset and destroyed the components completely. It was working on her, too; her jacket was drenched in sweat, weighing down on her like a sack of rice. Little rivulets ran down the inside of her legs, soaking into the rim of her socks.

She couldn't see at all. The trees closed in around her, blocking out all traces of sunlight. It was as if they harboured malicious intent, intending to trap her and keep her prisoner for their own devices. She stubbed her foot on a small rock, wincing slightly.

"_**Are you all right, my master?"**_

"It's alright, Raising Heart. The pain'll go away in no time."

Perhaps she could clear away some of the vegetation. A well-placed Divine Buster would give her enough space to fly up and out of the area – if, indeed, she was in a forest, and not some underground cavern.

"Ah, that's not such a good idea, you know. You'll kill a lot of poor innocent creatures."

Nanoha wheeled on the spot, Raising Heart held in a spear-like grip. The voice had come from somewhere behind; someone had managed to sneak up on her.

"Who's that?! Show yourself!"

Silence. Nanoha pivoted slowly on the spot, willing her eyes to reach out in the gloom, to catch sight of even the smallest of movements.

"I'm right behind you, dear."

Before she knew what had happened, Nanoha found herself face up on the ground, her body and limbs pressed into the ground by some unseen force. She struggled to free herself futilely; it was almost as if her body had suddenly increased in weight sevenfold.

"Gravity, such a sadly ignored force; tweaking it a bit has great effects, you know?"

Without warning, Nanoha found herself face to face with a golden haired lady. A white hat lay low over her head; a parasol swung off her arm, back and forth across Nanoha's abdomen, oscillating ceaselessly as if it no longer had to contend with friction.

"Sanity, and Insanity – I judge you've heard the saying, 'tis a fine line between success and failure'? Or, well, it was something like that. I'll show you just how thin that line is, Takamachi Nanoha. The border of sanity and insanity – let's tweak it a bit, shall we?"

With a wry smile on her face, the woman stretched a finger out, and placed it square in the middle of Nanoha's forehead.

"What… what are you doing?!" Nanoha struggled again, trying to ease herself out of the way of that single finger – its tip brought into Nanoha's mind a huge sense of foreboding, a power so great it would break the barriers of the world –

"Why, my dear, we're just pushing you that bit further, of course."


	4. Practice and Practise

Sorry for the late update. School has started for me, so I've had really little time recently to deal with stuff other than schoolwork. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

The others are still being written for, but because this has been sitting around for a while now, I thought I'd post it first. Those looking forward to seeing what Hayate was doing, I'm sorry… You'll have to wait for the next chapter.

* * *

Fate swung around, twisting her torso as she just avoided a bullet to the waist. She turned her head back, watching intensely for openings in the wall of bullets bearing down on her.

…There.

Jumping into the mess, she once again twisted and flailed, allowing the bullets to whiz by her to little effect. As she reached the ground, she saw the target, a small tree, and sprinted toward it, arm outstretched, just reaching it –

- An amulet hit her in the back. Fate flew forward unceremoniously to the ground.

"Homing bullet, that one. Always watch the patterns – just because they've all passed doesn't mean they can't still hit you."

Fate cursed slightly under her breath, rubbing her sore back as she turned to the sky, looking at the figure smiling serenely down at her.

Fate had asked Reimu to explain what these spellcards were and how they worked.

"You should learn how to beat them," Reimu had said.

"That's an essentiality to survive here."

Well, at the rate she was going, she'd be better off taking her chances with death in the massive forest than death at the hands of the sadistic shrine maiden.

Reimu landed in front of Fate and offered a hand. Taking it, Fate soberly stood, the strain from the training finally getting to her. She could barely last ten minutes before tiring now.

"You've been improving real fast, honestly. You may have a natural talent for this, you know? Using all your senses at once – sight, hearing, touch – to sense the bullets around you – duck."

…Duck?

Reimu sighed, put a hand on Fate's shoulder –

- and pulled her face into the dirt.

"Mmf?!"

Fate turned her eyes up, staring indignantly at Reimu who was now lying on the ground with her. Reimu gave a sheepish grin. Then the sky exploded.

With the distinct crack of superheating air, a surge of boiling heat rushed over Fate, forcing her eyes into a squint. Through what little sight she had, she could just make out a massive beam of full-spectrum light – a mere half metre above her. For some wholly unknown reason, an image of Nanoha surfaced in her mind.

As the light slowly faded along with the image of the smiling, "let's-be-friends" face of Nanoha, Reimu stood up, dusting the front of her outfit where she had lain in the dirt.

"Hello, Marisa. Lovely seeing you today."

Fate, following Reimu's line of sight, turned her eyes onto the silhouette of a young woman, backlit against the sun's light.

"Yo, Reimu. That the rumoured outsider?"

"Yeah. Gossip doesn't usually move that fast, though. How'd you hear of it?"

"A certain crow was flying over the shrine. Soon as she caught wind, she hightailed it to base fast as she could."

Marisa pulled a rolled out newspaper from somewhere in the depths of the folds of her skirt, tossing it at Reimu. With nary a cursory glance, Reimu parried the paper projectile, transiting it straight into the shrine where it lay in a pile of similarly rolled, completely unread newspapers.

"One day, I'm gonna take that book and stuff it down that damn bird's beak."

The crow was a metaphor… right?

"So, Reimu, we having a spellcard party for our new entrant?"

"No, Marisa. She's still learning. All you do is throw fireworks at people and hope it connects, anyway."

"I resent that description. Anyway, that's not why I'm coming here. I've got someone else that our friend here might know." Marisa stepped aside.

Fate's eyes widened.

"Caro! Erio!"

Marisa smiled.

"They're good, these kids. Managed to fight the firebug off all on their own."

Reimu muttered an approval. Fate was now in the process of smothering the two younglings to death.

"Ah, youth."

"Shut up, Reimu, you're only eighteen."

* * *

The piercing sounds of metal striking metal echoed dolefully over the field of _sakura_. Yuyuko sat on the roof of Hakugyokurou, blissfully sipping at a cup of strong sake. Interspersed with the strikes was a light melody, at once enthralling yet excessively lonely – like it cut right through to the heart.

Lunasa pulled out the last note of the tune, ending the song with a flawless vibrato. She lowered her violin and turned to Yuyuko.

"Is it alright, leaving the two of them alone?"

Yuyuko giggled slightly, then went back to watching the _sakura_.

"This is Youmu's fight. I should give her some freedom to do as she likes, don't you think? She does cook me dinner every night, after all."

She raised her cup to her lips.

"Besides," she said, casting a sidelong glance at the battle in the distance, "doesn't hurt to let her lose once in a while, anyway."

Lunasa was taken aback. She took a closer look at the battle – no, it was clear, Youmu was definitely the better swordsman.

"Ah, but you see, just swordsmanship doesn't matter here. This is the clash of two different schools of battle – you can't evaluate them on just one factor. Look closer – how are they fighting?"

Youmu handled her sword with finesse, her strikes swift and steady, her body in constant motion. Signum's style, on the other hand, was halting and seldom followed through, constantly moving back and never gaining ground. Yet, the two were fighting on equal terms; the match had dragged on for well over five minutes, and neither side was visibly losing steam.

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong. The style differences are obvious, but not because Signum is inferior. Youmu's Kendo background means she constantly keeps both hands on her sword, and with her years of training her strikes have been honed close to perfection. Yet her movements still hold irregularities – see, that arc there was swung too wide just for a bit, and that stroke was a bit too heavy."

At this moment, Signum pushed forward suddenly, her hands shooting out toward Youmu's face. Youmu dodged the attack, and moved in again.

"See? That was the opening for Signum to attack. While her sword handling is indeed inferior, the style she's using appears to be rather Italian, or perhaps German – grappling, punching and pushing are essential parts of their swordplay. The sword often plays little part – see how the sword dangles from her hand? – besides initiating and parrying strikes. She doesn't have to be as worried about being cut – her armour more than makes up her defense against light strikes."

"Did Youmu not say, though, that the things her sword cannot cut are next to none?"

"You see, while Youmu's strength lays in her sword – the Japanese katana, tediously quenched and struck and folded to perfection – Signum's strength, if I guess correctly, lies in her armour. Even though Hakurouken and Ryoukanken are indeed strong enough to cut through diamond with nary a scratch, she doesn't have the leverage at that distance to strike with enough power to break through the opponent's defense. Without her 200 yojanas, she can't bring out the full extent of her power. Besides, that fighting system is one heavily based on impregnable defence."

Another strike rang through the silence. This time, though, it was Signum's blade that had struck one on defence. The tides had turned.

The match was over in barely another two minutes. Signum had won. The two of them lay on the ground, breath shallow as both fighters attempted to catch some air.

"You're really good, Youmu."

"Same to you."

"That was a rather interesting match."

Youmu shot to her feet. "Mistress Yuyuko! I was – I – "

"It's alright. Signum, was it?"

"Yes. How did you know my – "

"These things are elementary. I am the Princess of the Netherworld, after all. Eyes of Death – ever heard of them? You can see the names of all mortal beings. Rather handy, you know. Stops the monkeys from making off with Yukari's apples once in a while."

Signum had no idea who Yukari was, and why she had apples that monkeys would want to steal, but that was not an important issue. Having stood up, she now bowed to the self-proclaimed Princess.

"Thank you, Princess Saigyouji, for allowing me the pleasure of sparring with your servant. It was an extremely enlightening process. I have never met one with as much capability with the katana as her."

"Of course, she's trained for almost two hundred years, but I can see you've had even more experience than that. Please, call me Yuyuko, everyone does. I see that Youmu has mentioned me before. Would you like some peaches?"

"Sorry?"

"Ah, excuse me, I'm slightly peckish – I feel like a bit of fruit right now. Youmu, would you be so kind as to cut a few peaches for us? I'd like to know more about how Signum here ended up in such a place."

"Yes, Mistress Yuyuko."

Youmu ran off. Yuyuko turned, and motioned for Signum to follow. This she did, falling into pace just behind the Princess.

It was silent for a while. Then Yuyuko spoke.

"Youmu has never had a match with one who uses another system of swordsmanship, you see, so she has a very bad lack of experience with adapting to a defensive style like yours. I can tell, though, that you've fought with many different styles of combat."

"Indeed, I have. It's part of the job, after all."

Yuyuko laughed – a small, tinkling laugh, like the sound of windchimes in the morning breeze.

"What an interesting job you must have. A soldier, I presume?"

"Something like that. Special Operations, you could call it."

"I can see why they'd choose you. Ah, there's the gate."

The white pagoda that Signum had caught a glimpse of while they were walking had now come into full view. The bright sun bounced off the contours of the building, throwing numerous highlights upon the _sakura_ trees that flowered all around her. The cherry blossoms floating in the air only added to the sense of tranquility – and mortality – of the entire place. Signum stood in silent contemplation of the very fragile quality that embodied this place – the Netherworld, Heaven, whatever people chose to call it.

Slowly, the gates swung open. Yuyuko turned her head back and smiled.

"Welcome to my humble home. Please make yourself comfortable."

* * *

Therein ends another chapter. It's been what, almost a month since the previous one?

Once again, thank you for reading this! I'll be uploading next chapter as soon as I can!


	5. An Ancient Discovery

This fic is not dead until I say so. Each update may take a month or two, but it will definitely be updated – I promise.

* * *

Keine's residence was a veritable treasure trove of books. Indeed, that was all Hayate could see as she stepped over the threshold – shelf upon shelf of books of all kinds, scrolls, boundbacks, hardcovers, even bamboo sheafs. On a whim, she reached for a scroll lying, seemingly forgotten, on a squat wooden table in the corner.

"I'd rather you not touch that." Keine's voice wafted in from the next room. Startled, Hayate drew her hand back.

"I'm sorry – that's my personal history scroll. I'm rather… fond of it, I'm afraid. That scroll is so precious to me, it's almost like… history itself." The graceful figure came back into the room of books, carrying a tray lightly loaded with a comely tea set.

"Please, take a seat."

Hayate sank down slowly onto a delicate crafted wooden armchair.

"It's a pretty nice place you have here." Hayate said, looking around. Somehow, she had a feeling that Fate wasn't getting the same kind of treatment. Rein yawned on her shoulder.

Keine caught Hayate's gaze wandering across the room, and smiled apologetically. "I have a dreadful fascination with history books. The idea that from different points of view, there can be different records of history… it's just such a beautiful concept, don't you agree?" She ran a hand across the well-worn spines of a shelf of tomes. "Hearing the forgotten voices of the lesser proponents and recorders of history makes me almost burst with emotion…" She paused.

"Erm, Keine?"

"Oh, I'm such an idiot. Sorry, I completely lost myself."

Keine planted herself in a chair facing Hayate, then busied herself with the tea.

Hayate watched in silent amusement as Rein lay across her shoulder, snoring with the vigour of a herd of mating elephants.

Keine placed a cup in front of her. Hayate reached out for the cup and took a sip.

_Ah, green. Reminds me of the old days with Captain Harlaown. Though the milk…_

The cup settled back into place on the table with a dull thud. Keine took that as her cue.

"What would you like to know, then?"

Hayate pondered slightly. On the way to her residence, Keine had mentioned some things to her in passing; now would be a good time to clear the air.

"So, this place is called Gensokyo."

"Yes, meaning 'Fantasy Land'. Sounds like a tourist attraction, but trust me, it's anything but that."

"And about once every sixty years or so, the border between the outside world and this place weakens, and that's the dimensional anomaly we detected?"

"More or less. It's never weakened this much, though. According to the Hakurei shrine maiden, there's been six times the number of people wandering in here from the outside. It's most likely the fault of some powerful youkai trying to pull something off, like in the past when the border between the Netherworld and ours weakened." Keine moved to pour more tea for Hayate. Hayate lifted the cup and thoughtfully took a sip.

"So you're saying the shrine maiden knows who it is as well?"

"Pretty much. There's only one youkai in Gensokyo with that much power over the Great Hakurei Border. We don't really know her reasons at the moment, though."

The two sat in silence once more. A bird chirped outside the window. The cicadas sang softly outside in the misty summer morning.

"So, I heard you're a mage from the outside world."

"Put bluntly, yes."

"Interesting. Magic was supposed to have been phased out after the erection of the Hakurei Border… Recorded history has its flaws, after all."

"History is written by the victor."

"True. And the anti-magic demographic won… The Church was especially efficient in its endeavours."

Hayate smiled. "You're a really good historian, aren't you?"

"It's a particularly good aspect of mine. But honestly, I can't figure out how you can cast magic. You don't have any spellcards, and even lack the necessary tools for spellcasting. Not a single magic circle on you anywhere."

Hayate was taken aback. Surely, her staff…?

…Ah. Archaic magic.

"Well, technology's advanced, you see. So I actually use this here to cast magic. It's a science-magic blend, but I'm not too sure of the specifics myself."

"Science and magic… to think that the two could actually be brought together…"

Suddenly, a glimmer of recognition passed across Keine's face.

"Could it be…?"

She leapt to her feet.

"Please follow me, Hayate. There's something I want to show you."

Hayate complied, pushing herself up from the ground, only to stumble again when Keine threw her a bundle.

"What's this?"

"A coat. Don't want people staring at you again, now, do we?"

* * *

"This is…"

Keine had brought her to the storehouse of the local records, the residence of a certain Akyu family for many generations, and led her straight to the basement.

Lying there, in the folds of a padded wooden chest, was a staff.

Hayate could make out the runic engravings instantly – some form of Ancient Belkan, though not immediately obvious.

Then she noticed the crystal set in the head – Mid-Childa. But this was no ordinary mass-produced crystal – it was a gem of pure topaz, its flawless orange core burning under the flickering light of Keine's lamp.

Not just Mid-Childa – Ancient Mid-Childa.

A fusion of two forgotten ancient magics.

"This staff was recently passed to a member of the Akyu family for safekeeping, barely ten days ago. We've been unable to determine the origin or use of this object, even with Rinno-, erm, a local antique storeowner's help. It looks rather similar to your own staff. Perhaps you might know about it?"

Hayate was trembling.

_No. It could not be. Impossible…!_

She reached out with trembling hands, her fingers wrapping slowly around the handle.

A sudden surge of power ran through her body, from the crown of her head to the toes of her feet. She jerked her hand away instantly. The staff fell back into the box with a dull thud.

"Hayate! What's wrong?" Keine's concerned voice seemed far away. Hayate had gone pale.

"This… It's not supposed to exist…"

The staff that existed only in legend – the so-called King of Lost Logia, hunted for futilely for hundreds of years. The intelligent device that somehow managed to harness both of the strongest schools of magic at the same time.

"So this was the cause of the dimensional rift…"

A legendary staff, in itself said to be almost fifty times stronger than the King's Cradle.

"…Excalibur."

* * *

And that's all for this time, folks. Keep reviewing, and thanks for reading!

Next up: Hayate vs. Utsuho…?!


	6. Interlude?

Yes, it's been ridiculously long since the last update, hasn't it?  
More than a year, in fact. Regardless, because I said this fic isn't dead until I say it is, here's another update!  
I've been writing and re-writing this for ages. Once again, another short update, because I am too slow and too easily burnt-out to write for more than two scenarios at once, it seems. And also because if I don't get this bit I've already done out, the next time this will be published will be in November next year.

Note: Chrono is based on the older, more mellow version seen in StrikerS, and not the brash one in Nanoha and Nanoha As. So though he may appear OoC, please consider this fact...

* * *

I was heading toward the tea table this morning when I was unexpectedly hailed by bookshelf number two hundred and six.

"Yo."

I turned.

There, standing half in the shadow cast by the bookshelf and half in the sunlight from the skylight over the central dias, was Kirisame Marisa.

I turned back.

"Sakuya, the irritating black rat is back again. Please see to it."

A quick pop, and the titular head maid, with her silver tresses tied unerringly into neat braids, appeared.

"Yes, Ms. Patchouli."

"Hey, no, Patch, wait-!"

"Sakuya, maybe you could... roughen her up a little, too."

"With pleasure."

Perhaps you are already familiar with me, but I would posit that some form of introduction is in order. As you may have inferred by now, I am Patchouli Knowledge, master of all the elements and quite possibly the strongest mage in Gensokyo (though, of course, in a purely theoretical sense). Handling the recalcitrant intruder is the head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, Izayoi Sakuya, master chef, cleaner and battle butler extraordinaire. Then, of course, there is the indomitable and highly aggravating Marisa, who, even as I speak, is attempting to escape the clutches of our well trained helper.

"Uh, alright, but maybe you could tell me what I am doing here, Ms... Knowledge, and maybe explain... this?"

Chrono pointed at Remilia, who had her head nestled nicely into Chrono's lap. Soft snoring noises could be heard. Patchouli coughed pointedly, then opened her book again.

"All in good time, I'm getting to it. Oh, by the way, your name?"

"...Chrono. Chrono Harlaown. You can call me Chrono."

"Ah, well then. Address me by first as well. While I understand the origins of my last name, I would rather not have had it if I had a choice. Now...

"Wait, Patch! I really need your help this time! Me and Reimu both! I knew the place better so I volunteered to come ask for help!"

Ah, perhaps it really might be of some importance.

"Sakuya, allow her to talk. But prepare to kill her - as violently and disturbingly as you can - if she tries to escape like last time."

"Of course, Ms. Patchouli." The maid retreated quietly.

Her steak knife collection hanging around Marisa like a group of carrion fowl, however, did not.

Perhaps a bit of toning down... Never mind.

"So, Marisa. You need my help. Shoot."

In a flurry of activity - somewhat dampened by the heavy background presence of the head maid and her rather unsettling plethora of steak knives - Marisa pulled a small, leather-bound book out of the folds of her dress and thrust it toward me.

"This."

"What, is the famous library all-star lender, Kirisame Marisa, actually returning a book? Celebrations are in order! Sakuya, do we have any of that 1860 vintage left in the cellar?"

"Shaddup, Patch. This isn't yours and you know it. Reimu found it near the back of her shrine the other day. We didn't know what to make of it, so we came to you."

It was, undoubtedly, a book I had never seen before. I wasn't about to let some petty rivalry get in the way of my quest for knowledge, either, so I accepted the book - rather reluctantly, I must add, just so it may be known - and read it after Marisa had left. The book was titled "The Complete Harry Potter Compendium".

There. I've explained it."

Patchouli closed the book and turned back to Chrono.

Chrono stared blankly at her.

"...What? Isn't that what you were asking for? Why you're here, and why the Mistress-" Patchouli pointed at Remilia- "is sleeping on your lap?"

"... Well, you've explained something, yes, but I'm not quite getting it."

Patchouli sighed, visibly annoyed.

"Inference is a useful skill to have, you know. Maybe you should try it someday.

We normally have a 'no-nonsense' policy toward humans other than Sakuya in the mansion - the shrine maiden doesn't count, since she's barely human anyway, and Marisa is a bitch - but Remilia had recently read that previously-mentioned book and was, safe to say, rather interested in your spell-casting repertoire. We don't get male mages in Gensokyo."

"...I get it. Wait, no-nonsense policy toward humans...?"

"The Mistress is a five-hundred year old vampire, I'm a magician-type youkai, and the maids are all fairies. Apart from Sakuya, of course."

"...So you're telling me this 'child' on my lap is five hundred years old?"

"And a vampire, yes. Are you half deaf or something?"

"Ah, right." Chrono squirmed slightly, an uncomfortable expression on his face, as he attempted to dislodge Remilia from his body.

Remilia stirred.

Chrono stopped and watched with trepidation as the vampire pulled herself upright, yawned, rubbed her eyes and stretched out with a faint moan of pleasure.

"Oh, mornin', Patchy-" Remilia caught sight of Chrono staring at her and quickly lowered her arms. "Well, good morning, boy. Finally decided to wake from your slumber?"

"She likes to keep up appearances," Patchouli said quietly as Remi shot her a devilish look. "Oh, Remi, his name's Chrono. Chrono Harlaown."

"Well, Chrono, I'm Remilia Scarlet, the Mistress of this Scarlet Devil Mansion and the titular Scarlet Devil. How about a bit of a spar in the morning for some exercise?"

"...Uh, well, hi, but I really need to-"

"It's settled, then. SAKUYA!"

The maid suddenly appeared next to Remilia, much to Chrono's surprise.

"Bring this man his personal effects. We'll be having a bit of fun in the central hall."

"Yes, ma'am."

Remilia left the room. Patchouli took a glance at Chrono, then followed suit.

Chrono was left staring at Sakuya, who stared back at him with what seemed like mild dislike.

"Uh... how'd you do that just now? The appearing thing?" Chrono asked, attempting to cover the mild awkwardness that followed. "Oh, and about that thing about the knives..."

"...Love. And yes-"

A knife suddenly impaled itself into the wall beside Chrono's head. Involuntarily, he drew back into the corner of the bed.

"I always carry my knives on me."

* * *

"Wait, I haven't agreed to this yet! I need to find my squad!"

Chrono shouted to the dimunitive silhouette that stood across the hall from him, her back to the light that streamed in from the massive stained glass windows of the main hall.

"After we're done, you can leave. I'll get Sakuya to prepare some travelling amenities for you. Now, Chrono, raise your weapon."

Resigned, he raised his staff. He was now back in his standard battle outfit, a welcome change from the loose fittings he had been clothed in when he woke.

_Well then, let's get this over with quickly and leave._

Patchouli signalled from the second storey.

"Chrono Harlaown vs. Remilia Scarlet, Spellcard battle. Five cards. Ninety second limit. Full contact. Do any of the participants wish to object?"

"Nope, I'm good." Remilia announced with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Chrono, on the other hand, raised his.

"Uh, I have a... few problems."

"Speak."

"...What's a spellcard?"

* * *

In the half hour that had passed since Marisa had arrived with Caro and Erio in tow, Fate had managed to get the story of how they had woke to find themselves within the forest and separated from the rest, and had just found a narrow trail when they chanced upon the firebug that had attempted to accost them.

"...and then Erio jumped in with Strada, and hit her square on the head!"

"Oh, but if you hadn't thrown up that defensive wall before she launched those bugs at us, I wouldn't have been able to get in at all!"

Reimu, watching from the kitchen where she was preparing tea, sighed slightly.

"So much trouble with just Wriggle... They still have a long way to go."

"Hey, give the kids a break. They're what, barely ten?"

With a slight flourish, Reimu tossed a teaspoon of leaves into a clay teapot. "When I was ten, I had already taken over the management of the Hakurei Border, created four combat-class spellcards including Fantasy Heaven, and mastered summoning the Yin-Yang Orb disguised as a cat."

"But Reimu, you're a monster AND you're a Hakurei, so you... a cat?"

"It does really well throwing the youkai off guard. One of them swoops down on what they think is a free meal, and BANG! One less problem to worry about."

Ignoring the witch's bewilderment, Reimu handily lifted the tray of tea to the table where the three foreign mages were, taking a seat at one of the two remaining places on the table. Marisa came in shortly after, taking the spot opposite Caro and Erio, who had settled in together.

Fate started talking first. "I've tried to contact several other members of my squad. Five of them are headed toward the rendezvous point right now, but the rest I'm unable to contact."

"Needless to say the rest of this squad you're talking about have gotten into some form of trouble, like all foreigners do here." Reimu took a sip of tea. "Normally I'm able to handle them before anything happens, as they usually appear at the shrine first, but since you people took a rather indirect method of entry it's not that simple. Regardless, it's my duty to handle outsiders, so I'll aid you in finding them."

"Thanks for the offer, but-"

"No, we WILL go with you. Your talent as a mage may be a rare one outside, but in Gensokyo, it's like water - everywhere. One wrong move and you could find yourself on the poorer side of one of the stronger youkai. That attack pattern I was throwing at you just now? A random assortment of bullets thrown in a various directions. You have yet to see a proper spellcard."

"Hey, Reimu, aren't you forgetting my Master Spark?"

"The day your spellcards can be considered proper is the day the Border falls. It's a single beam of light, you idiot. All you need to do is sidestep it and all's well with the world."

"You have to admit though, it's quite pretty." A sudden voice came from the kitchen doorway.

Reimu and Marisa twisted their heads around so hard an audible crack was heard. A second later the two were supine on the floor, cradling their necks.

"My, my, every single time I get the same reaction. Am I really that unwelcome here?"

There, seemingly floating in space, was a lady in excessive garb, an equally excessive umbrella perched on her shoulder. Her silky blonde hair fell down around her, adorned in various places with frilly ribbons of all shapes and sizes.

Her countenance was beautiful; her clothes were stunning. Her pale eyes shone with a youthful glow, further enhanced by the faint smile that played across her lips.

But what caught Fate's attention was the sheer aura that the woman held around her. Before she had been able to catch herself, her Barrier Jacket was already in place and Bardiche had taken on his full form. Caro and Erio were similarly armed, childrens' faces twisted into threatening ones as they stared at the new arrival.

But Fate knew what was in their hearts was not anger, but sheer fear. She knew it herself - after all, she was in the same condition.

"Who... who are you?" Fate squeezed the question out through half-trembling lips.

"I can answer that for you." Reimu's muffled voice came from somewhere behind the table. A moment later her head appeared, hand rubbing her still-aching neck.

"Fate, meet the Grand Sage Youkai of the Gaps, secondary administrator of the Hakurei Border, Yukari Yakumo."

Yukari curtsied. "The pleasure is all mine."

The tension relaxed slightly, but the irrepressible aura still lingered around them. Yukari made no move to join them at the table, and the five made no move to let her in.

Marisa broke the silence first. "So, Yukari, what brings you here?"

"A little bird told me." Yukari produced a rolled-up newspaper, tossing it at Reimu. She once again deflected the projectile, directing it into a pile in the corner where it joined the previous copy that Marisa had brought with her.

"No, really. You're not the type to even be awake at this time, let alone out and about." Reimu shot back. She made no move to serve her new guest, so Yukari took it upon herself to pull a teacup from the kitchen and pour out a drink. The three TSAB mages watched her wielding her gaps with silent contemplation.

"Let's just say I have some interest in these new additions to our little plane." Yukari took a sip from her teacup - the distinct smell of strong alcohol was wafting over to where the five were seated. Reimu scrunched up her eyebrows slightly. "I have feeling though, that they -" Yukari threw a glance at Fate - "are not giving us the whole picture. Am I right, Enforcer?"

Fate stiffened. Whoever this person was, she was serious trouble. "...by guidelines, I am not permitted to involve unrelated personnel in investigations."

"Ah, the ever-useful bureaucratic statement of 'mind your own business'. Though, whether I am uninvolved or not..." Yukari swiped her hand through the air, and opened a gap in space. With a swish of her long frock, she put one leg through the dimensional rift, and turned to look at Fate once again.

"...is entirely determined by whether you know a person called Takamachi Nanoha."

In half a second, Plasma Zanber had sliced cleanly through the air where Yukari's midsection had been. The lady had however long disappeared through her portal - a rapidly disappearing trace of black mist in the air was all that remained to remind everyone of her prior presence. Fate stood tense, Bardiche held tightly in her hands, breathing heavily. Her Barrier Jacket was fully equipped. Returning Bardiche to staff form, she made for the door of the shrine.

Caro was the first to respond. "Wait, Fate! Where are you-"

"Caro, Erio, you two return to the rendezvous point first. When you establish contact, transfer immediately back to the Asura. Do you understand?"

"No! Fate, let us go with you! Nanoha-"

"Erio, that was an order as leader of Lightning squad. I cannot involve you two further in this. If you choose to follow me, I will consider you as having broken a lawful order, and will not hesitate to punish you accordingly."

The young boy fell silent. A moment passed before he grabbed hold of Caro's hand and led her outside the shrine.

"Reimu, Marisa..." Erio turned to address the two of them. "Thank you for your help and hospitality. If I am able to, I will definitely return the favour." Turning back, he lifted off, heading east with Caro in tow.

Fate watched as the two receded from view. When they had gone beyond the visible treeline, she made to exit from the shrine as well.

Wordlessly, Reimu and Marisa passed her, putting on their shoes and walking into the courtyard.

"Wait. This is something I have to do alone. I can't involve others in my business. Nanoha is my friend and not yours-"

"And Yukari is our business. We're just going there to beat her up for doing something stupid again. It just so happens that we're going to rescue your friend in the process." Reimu turned back to Fate and smiled.

"We're not helping you. We're just working toward the same goal."

Fate looked at them wordlessly.

Then, the faintest of smiles.

"...Thanks."

* * *

No guarantees on when the next chapter is coming out - I'm still pondering over what direction this story should take.

Some people have been missing for a while, haven't they...? This is what you get for trying to write for way too large a cast. ^^;


End file.
